The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-06-08
OUR MECHANICS.
CLOSTYG EXERCISES OF THE NIGH7
SCHOOL 1T THE THEATRE.
Address of the President The Successful
Competitors Addresses of Msssrs. \. =.
VI Billingslea, of Washington, and Lyon
g.. Tyler.


were commenced by an overture by the
Theatre orchestra.
Captain George A. Ainslie president
of the institute, then spoke a. follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen This Is the
first time In the history of the Virginia
Mechanics Institute that they have
claimed the public attention of our citi-
zens. Their design on this occasion Is
fo Jet you know something of their aims
and objects. The Virginia Mechanics
Institute" as the name indicates. Is
composed chiefly Of mechanics Its
purposes are the promotion and en-
couragcment Of the mechanics and USE
ful arts. and the mental and s0cia de
yclOpment of the industrial classes.
This institute is now AT the close Of the
third year Of its existence Each
winter, during that time, It has
maintained a night school for the
instruction of young mechanics. The
session Just closing has been very sue
ccssful one in many respects and we
have had I'm attendance two hundred
and sixty-six scholars, many of whom
have made wonderful progress in their
studies. instruction has been given too
I'm architectural. mechanical, and free
hand drawing I'm mechanics, physics,
and engineering, and in mathematics
and bookkeeping. For an of these
classes We had competent and expert
enced teachers whose work can
scarcely praise too highly But zeal
ousiy and intelligently as the officers
and teachers have labOred we never
could have accomplished the good which
to-day stands Do our credit but for
the aid given ms by the City Council
They have correctly cstimat- Il the value
90 the community of an institution of
This character. and with money and with
good words have greatly encouraged u.s.
Calculated I'm the cOldc-t and most sordcd
manner. the money is well invested, and
will come back with interest Bat what
/. far more delightful to think of is that
wc are giving to bright young men the
opportunity of qualifying themselves for
higher and more useful stations IN life.
We open % them ITO many of whom
it is their last opportunity the paths
for an honorable ambition. With The
technical training this institute affords
our scholars can qualify themselves To
become masters of their business, and in-
stead of loirg taught they may hereafter
teach. instead of being directed they may
direct
Most of those who have been proiiting
hy our instruction are young men who
work al day at their trades and who
devote the hours of The evening 20 hard
study (which most other persons give TO
plca-urel They appreciate the value
Of education, and they are generally faith
ml students. who look forward, as
they reasonably may, TO the time when
they will Dee foremen, master wOrkmcn,
and owners IN great enterprises. No
citv has more tO gain from the establish
mcnt of "a thoroughly equipped technical
school Shan Richmond, for her pr0speri-
tv LARGELY rests upon the success of her
manufactures our desire, therefore
should bc tO educate Our own mechanics
tO lill The positions where experts are re-
Quircd Too often, now, We have TO get
managers from other cities Cities which
afford their young mechanics such facili-
ties Notably, Boston and the city Of
New York. where is located the Cooper
Institute, endowed by that great and
good man. Peter C00per-aH institution
where. free of cost, all can obtain a scicn-
tifc education
4 few of ms are banded together for
this laudablc purpose, and we ask the
sympathy and support OF the Richmond
public We hope to convince you during
thc exercises of this evening that we
have made some progress towards the
accomplishment Of Tie great object we
have I'm view. but Wc do not desire
to monopolize the work. We ask you TO
Join us. We desire to increase our edu-
cati0nai facilities. We want building
suited To our needs, one in which not
only our schools can be accommodated,
Dat large enough ia which 90 hold a
permanent industrial exhibition, where
inventors and all who work in a credi-
table manner can exhibit specimens Of
their work
And now T ask your attention to the
programme, in whicn ! am sure you
will lind both instruction and pleasure.
After the completion of President
Anslie's address Colonel &. i. T. Bur
gWyn came forward, and i'm a ieW apprO.
pirate remarks announced the successful
members of the institute who had gained
the prizes of the year
Intermediate Class of Mathematics
Prize, silver medal, TO j Tophdm.
Junior Class OF Mathematics Prize,
silver medal, TO James Noss.
Senior Glass of Mathematics: Prize,
gold medal 10 RO Rouse
Bookkeeping Prize, gold medal, to \.
b. Curd, and honorable mention made Of
Hunter Laughton, q. =. Wood Thomas
Whittet. IL kinderyater, h. w Redd, III
l.. Dcnoon, and c. II. Urner,
Free Hand Drawing Prize, gold medal.
to ID. W. DeSylyia.
In this department besides the medal
there were three money prizes offered
through the liberality of Mr. Peter Mayo
These money prizes were awarded As fol-
lows $lj to ID. W. DeSylvia, so to Leo
\. Pusey, and 3 to ii. kinderyater.
Junior Architectural Drawing Prize
Gold medal. to ". \. Byerly.
Senior Architectural Drawing Prize
Gold medal, 10 William Dunkel.
Mechanics, Physics, and Engineering
Prize Gold medal, to Ed Gray, Jr
For tho host prpgrpse iu IraWiutg